Galatians Bible Studies

This is the page for all my resources and documents for the book of Galatians. The first section contains documents that survey the entire book. The second section has a survey video lecture covering the entire book. The next section is broken down by each passage. Click the label of any document or video to expand for access. Click the label of any passage to expand for access to documents and information about each individual passage. In each section, you can also click to see a detailed, annotated outline of this section. Feel free to use and distribute any information you find helpful as long as you give credit where appropriate.

General Documents

Outline

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Or you may push the buttons below to expand or collapse the entire outline:

Outline of Galatians

Epistolatory Introduction - Paul defends Himself and the Gospel 1:1-5

Author 1:1-2

Recipients 1:2

Greeting 1:3-4

Doxology 1:5

Warning Against False Gospels and Defending the Only Gospel 1:6-9

I Am Shocked!!! 1:6

Reason for Shock 1:6-7a

Cause of the Problem 1:7b-c

Curse on Preachers of False Gospels 1:8-9

First Statement 1:8

Second Statement 1:9

The Gospel Defended 1:10-5:12

The Gospel Defended by Paul's Narrative 1:10-2:21

Theme Statements 1:10-12

I Am Not a Man Pleaser 1:10

Evidence That Paul Was Serving/Pleasing God 1:11-12

Paul's Early Life and Conversion 1:13-17

You Have Heard My Lifestyle When in Judaism 1:13a

Specifics About His Lifestyle 1:13b-17

Before His Conversion 1:13b-14

After His Conversion 1:15-17

Paul's First Interaction with Jerusalem 1:18-24

Paul Visited Peter in Jerusalem 1:18-20

Paul Left Jerusalem Remaining Unknown to Most of the Church 1:21-24

Paul's Second Interaction with Jerusalem 2:1-10

Paul Went to Jerusalem and Taught the Gospel 2:1-2

Paul/Titus Did Not Give in to False Teachers There 2:3-5

Paul Did Not Need the Apostle's Approval 2:6

Yet Paul Had the Apostle's Approval 2:7-10

Paul's Rebuke of Peter 2:11-14

Paul Rebuked Peter 2:11

Description of How Peter Was Wrong 2:12-13

What Peter Used to Do 2:12a-b

What Peter Did - Hypocrisy 2:12c-13

Paul's Response - Public Rebuke 2:14

Paul's Theological Rationale for His Rebuke of Peter 2:15-21

Jews and Gentiles are Justified in the Same Way 2:15-20

Therefore I Will Not Set Aside the Grace of God for Attempted Righteousness Via the Law 2:21

The Gospel Defended by the Galatians' Experience 3:1-6

The Galatians' Experience 3:1-5

Accusation 3:1a

Their Experience 3:1b-5

The Scriptural Proof 3:6

The Gospel Defended by Scripture and True Theology 3:6-5:12

Law Curse vs. Faith Blessing (Proved by Scripture) 3:6-14

Faith Blessing vs. Law Curse 3:6-12

Christ Takes Us From Curse To Blessing 3:13-14

Relationship of the Law and Abraham's Promise 3:15-29

The Law Was Temporary and Interim 3:15-18

The Law Leads to Sin or to Christ, Never to Justification 3:19-24

We Are Heirs of the Promise Through Faith 3:25-29

Argument from Salvation History 4:1-7

Before Christ 4:1-3

After Christ 4:4-7

Application - Galatians, Do Not Go Back! 4:8-18

You Have Changed, How Can You Go Back?! 4:8-10

I Am Worried About You 4:11

Follow Through With Your Former Friendship and Zeal 4:12-14

You Have Changed and I am Worried About You 4:15-16

Follow Through With the Good Kind of Zeal, Against the Judaizers 4:17-18

Illustration From the Slave Woman and Free 4:19-31

I Am Very Worried About You! 4:19-20

Reject the Way of the Law and Follow the Way of Promise/Faith 4:21-31

You Don't Understand the Law if You Want to Be Under It 4:21

Reason: The Law Leads to Slavery, The Promise Leads to Life and Blessing 4:22-31

The Way of Faith is Better Than the Way of Slavery to the Law 4:22-27

There are Two Ways - Way of Promise/Faith and Way of Law/Slavery 4:22-23

The Way of Promise is Blessed, the Other Way is Slavery 4:24-27

Therefore: We Should Live by the Promise of Grace and Reject Slavery to Law 4:28-31

We Live by God's Promise and Reject Slavery To Law 4:28-30

Therefore: We are of the New Freedom, Not the Old Law 4:31

Encouragement to Freedom by Rejecting False Gospels 5:1-12

Stand Firm in Christ's Freedom by Refusing to Submit to Circumcision 5:1-6

Christ Has Freed Us, Don't Be Slaves to Law 5:1

Don't Submit to Circumcision 5:2-6

Decision: Comparing the Galatians, Paul, and the False Teachers 5:7-12

The Judaizers are Trying to Subvert the Galatians away from the True Gospel 5:7-9

The Galatians Should Not Give In, But Remain Faithful 5:10-12

The Gospel Applied 5:13-6:10

Living in Freedom 5:13-15

You Were Called For the Purpose of Freedom 5:13a

The Implications: Use Your Freedom to Serve 5:13b-15

Living by the Spirit (Not the Flesh) 5:16-26

Live by the Spirit 5:16-25

Walk by the Spirit 5:16-17

Be Led by the Spirit 5:18-24

Live in Conformity with the Spirit 5:25

The Implication: Don't Be Conceited 5:26

Living Toward One Another 6:1-10

Bear Burdens 6:1-9

Carry One Another's Burdens 6:1-2

Cary Your Own Burdens 6:3-5

Carry Your Leaders' Burdens 6:6-8

Persevere in This 6:9

Summary: Do Good While You Have Opportunity 6:10

Conclusion 6:11-18

Personal Autograph 6:11

Final Rejection of False Teachers 6:12-15

Two kinds of boasting 6:12-14

Boasting in the Flesh 6:12-13

Boasting in the Cross 6:14-15

The Reason: Not Circumcision, but New Creation 6:15

Postscript Blessing and Warning 6:16-18

Conditional Blessing 6:16

Warning to Others 6:17

Grace Wish 6:18

Summary

Introduction Presentation

Click the buttons at the bottom of the slides to move through the presentation.

Survey Video

Galatians Survey

Watch on YouTube

Download Audio

Individual Passages

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1:1-9 Introduction and Theme Statement

1:1-5 Intro: Paul Defends Himself and His Gospel

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1-2 Author(s):

Paul an Apostle

He has authority

Not from man and not through man -

source/ultimate cause and means/efficient cause
Paul's calling is not directly or even indirectly through humans
Why is this important?
The Gospel is not dependent on man
He is answering detractors who would say that Paul is not qualified by human credentials
The Gospel is not dependent on the messenger, the messenger is dependent on the Gospel

From Jesus the Messiah [Jewish fulfillment] and God the Father

The Father is described as "the One Who raised Him from the dead"
Why is He described as raised from the dead?
The resurrection places them in the eschatological place in salvation history - justification is finished

And all the brothers with me

Why does Paul say this?
Paul is not alone in his position
There are those on his side (the apostles and others!)

2 Recipients:

To the Churches of the Galatians

Plural - "churches" - cf. South-Galatian theory

The problem is in the churches

Genuine believers are the target of the enemy
False teaching is aimed at the saints
The devil does not spend his time tempting people in brothels and bars, but in churches
"Scripture witnesses that antichrist does not sit in a stable of fiends or in a pigsty or in a company of unbelievers, but in the highest and holiest place of all, namely in God's temple." - Luther p. 32
The problem is not primarily Hollywood or Wall street or Washington DC - These are just symptoms
Understand historically that the sad state of these institutions is the indirect result of the failure of the churches
And false problems sown in churches that grew to into the universities, that infiltrated elsewhere - but started in churches

The solution, likewise is in the churches doing well
And all culture is then gradually impacted

3-4 Greeting:

Grace and peace

Standard greeting, but with a profound Christian twist to the standard wording
Paul changed "chairein" (greeing) to "charis" (grace) - for Christians, all is grace
"peace" takes on the full meaning of the Hebrew "shalom" - the fullness of peace and prosperity

To you

From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

God our Father

not everyone's Father
only of adopted believers

Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus is Lord, Master - assumed, never thoroughly explained
In their culture, then understood hierarchy
They were someone's servant
In our culture, it needs to be reminded constantly and embraced
You gotta serve somebody

The One Who gave Himself on behalf of our sins

On behalf of, for the sake of, in someone else's interest
Gracious giving - we should respond with deep gratitude

Why did Paul include this here?

Against the New Perspective:
This is about sins that keep us from God, unrighteousness
It is NOT about boundary markers
NOT primarily about Jew/Gentile relations
But about a broken relationship with God
Sin = rebellion, de-goding God, idolatry of self, opposite of faith and love
Breaking the first commandment before breaking any others

In order that He may deliver us from this present evil age

Purpose:
To rescue, deliver, set free
From the present, evil age

Present - now as opposed to the future age
Evil - worthless, vicious, degenerate
It is not all completely bad, but partly, completely bad - connected with sin

According to the will of Our God and Father

God's giving of Christ was all according to plan and purpose
He is God and Father

5 Doxology

To Him be the glory forever and ever

Paul meant it - so should we
Not Giving glory (He already has it all)
But recognizing the fittingness/appropriateness of ascribing glory to Him
Delighting in the fact that He is of the highest reputation
But also wishing and working toward all people that they recognize His desert of all glory

Forever and ever

1:6-9 Warning Against False Gospels

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Paul in this section is defending and promoting the only true Gospel
Here he is doing so by warning against and attacking false gospels

In general, the best tool against false gospels is to promote the true Gospel
But in some cases, like this one, people also need to be defended against false gospels
This is what Paul does in this section - almost a theme for the whole book

6 I am shocked!

There is no thanksgiving - which is what was expected here in a typical epistle
But an expression of shock - Paul is upset and wants the Galatians to clearly know
"a uniquely occurring anathema" - Silva, quoted in Beale p. 785

6a I am astonished/disturbed

6b Reason: You have turned so quickly

You have turned so quickly from the One Who called you by the grace of Christ

So quickly

possibly within weeks or months of Paul's evangelizing them

Turned away

Changed allegiance, deserted
Completely abandoned - not slightly off course, but U-turn abandonment
ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS - more important than life or death
Eternal life or Eternal death

From the One Who called you

-cf. 1:15

Called you by the grace of Christ

[You have turned] toward a different 'gospel'

"What the Galatians were doing was not adding some interesting new insights into the meaning of Christianity but denying the essential Christian message. They were substituting Jewish teaching for the truth of the gospel." CMM p. 298

7-9 Disclaimer: It is not really a Gospel, but rather an evil lie

7a It's not [actually] another [gospel]

There are two different words for "another" in Greek
The Galatians are turning to a 'gospel' that is not another of the same kind,
But to another of a different kind, which makes it to not truly be good news

7b-9 It's only certain people trying to turn you away from the real Gospel

7b-c The real situation

7b Certain people are troubling you

Disturbing you/throwing you into confusion
-cf. Eph. 4:14 "tossed about like waves by every false wind of teaching"
"the cruelty of heresy" - false teaching really does ruin lives
BTW - there are some people with great theology and ruined lives because their lifestyle and passion does not match their theology
We need both/and - theology and obedience

7c Specifically: They are wanting to change/alter/pervert the Gospel of Christ

To change it into something it is not, like the sun turning to darkness (Acts 2:20)
What they are doing is not adding to it, teasing out its inferences, debating on non-essential matters (we can debate and disagree on non-essentials)
But they are rejecting the Gospel and offering a substitute

Some things we can disagree on in brotherly love
Some things are fighting matters, which we would be unfaithful not to resist
It takes wisdom and maturity to know the difference
Even in fighting matters, we do not wage war like the world
But we should fight in love and truth, and by giving our bodies to be crucified

8-9 How you should respond

Any other gospel from any other source is to be cursed

8 First Round

8a If even we or an angel from heaven preaches a gospel to you which is not in accordance with or contrary to the Gospel which we proclaimed to you

Paul puts himself in this category

Paul is subservient to the message, the messenger is not important
It is not true Gospel because Paul said it
If Paul says different, Paul is false

Or even an angel from heaven

No matter what class the messenger, the message is the key
Even supernatural messages need to be tested by their conformity with the Gospel and God's prior revelation
A primary strategy of the enemy is to disguise as an angel of light and spread deceitful lies as if they were the truth
If something does not conform, it is to be rejected, no matter how impressive the source
-cf. 1 Thes. 5:19-22
BTW, this is why we can hold human teachers in esteem, even high esteem,
But we can never believe anything JUST because they said it
Respect human teachers, and use their track record to discern their trustworthiness
But never COMPLETELY rely on human teachers or human wisdom

Evangelizes to you

The Greek word is a verbal form of "Gospel," there is not an English equivalent
If anyone preaches good news to you
People proclaim things all the time touted as good news (every advertisement)

That which is contrary to/which does not correspond to that which we preached to you

Compare the content with the original - preached by Paul
These people believed that Jesus was the Messiah
They believed the same as Paul in many, many areas
But Paul says some things are so important that there can be no compromise on these issues
Our unity is around the Gospel

Beware of false unity that forces you to compromise in order to be unified
Beware of false unity around an organization or personal relationships without regard for the Gospel
In these cases, the others are the ones breaking unity by not being orthodox
You are keeping unity by being orthodox, even if it means separating from organizations and relationships which are unorthodox

It is not the delivery or deliverer that is important, but the content is what matters
Not the packaging, but the goods

Beware of propaganda and bright lights
Don't look at the outside, but the inside
Don't worry as much about your ability to package stuff as having good stuff in the package

That which they were to compare was not good JUST because Paul preached it
Remember that if Paul now say different, they should reject it

8b Then let him be anathema/cursed/destroyed

Cursed/accursed - from the OT idea of being given totally to destruction, like Jericho
Paul is not playing around - Speaks in the strongest terms because the very Gospel is at stake
Don't play with, buddy up with, have unity with people who pervert the Gospel or you will share in their deception and punishment - cf. 2 John 10-11

Unity is desirable, but has limits
Athanasius against the world
Luther - "Here I stand"
Peter - "Should we obey you or God?"
Paul - "Let them be cursed"

9 Second Round

So important, he says it again

9a-b I'm saying the same thing again for emphasis

9a Just as I said earlier

9b I am now saying it again

9c-d What I'm saying again

9c If anyone preaches a gospel to you which is not in accordance with or contrary to that which you received

There are two differences here from the first time that Paul said this (above)

"Anyone"

The scope is widened to include any and every possibility (including the Galatian false teachers)

"what you received"

Again the emphasis is on the content
But now from the readers' point of view
It is not true because they received/accepted it
But what they did receive is the truth by which to compare and judge all others

9d Let them be anathema/cursed/destroyed

Same result
Paul draws a line in the concrete, no compromise here
Paul is absolutely serious, because it is absolutely important

It is a matter of eternal life and death
Some things can be compromised, some cannot
Some things can be amicably disagreed upon, others cannot

Even then, we must love and respect those others with whom we disagree
While honestly telling them to their face that they are wrong
And trying to win them to the truth
Much wisdom, grace, fear and trembling is needed

It is not "my truth" vs. "your truth"
But it is God's truth over against all error
And if anyone deviates from God's revealed truth, they do so at their own risk
This is a VERY strong warning to the Galatians

1:10-5:12 The Gospel Defended

1:10-2:21 The Gospel Defended by Paul's Narrative

1:10-12 Theme Statements

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In this section, Paul is defending the Gospel, partly by defending his apostleship

Apparently Paul was called into question (by the Judaizers) because he was not 'officially' from Jerusalem
And therefore he was accused of changing the Gospel from the 'official' Jewish Gospel

This is a tricky situation for Paul to navigate

He cannot say "Yes, I am from Jerusalem"
He cannot acknowledge he is not from Jerusalem in a way that would lessen his own status and authority
He cannot stress his independence from Jerusalem in a way that downplays or criticizes Jerusalem or the other apostles
He cannot equate himself with them, but he cannot put himself over against them
How will he navigate this difficult situation?

10 Paul was not a man pleaser

Paul is defending his credentials and his right to be heard in correcting their doctrine

Two Questions:

Am I seeking the approval of men or of God?

Implied answer: "God"

Am I seeking to please men?

Implied answer: No, I'm trying to please God

Answering Principle:

Condition: If I were trying to please men

Result: I would not be a servant of Christ

These two are mutually exclusive (in this case)
Not in all cases, but sometimes we must make a choice
Why does he say this?

Probably he was accused or waffling - being a man pleaser to win converts, making it too easy to believe

11-12Evidence that Paul was serving/pleasing God

All of 1:11-2:21 is evidence that Paul was following/serving/pleasing God in what he was doing as opposed to pleasing man
By extension, Paul's Gospel is the true Gospel that pleases God
Paul's Gospel is not from man, but from God

11 I am making known/reminding you of the Gospel brothers

-cf. 1 Cor. 15:1

I am reminding you of the Gospel which I gospelled to you

-cf. 1 Cor 15:3

Specifically: that/because it is not according to man, in conformity with man

-cf. 1 Cor 15:1-3
Either "that" - what was made known about the Gospel
Or "because" - the reason why it was made known
It is not according to man

It is not a human invention, not according to human standards
Paul will harp on this in 1 Corinthians

The Gospel is not just another religion or philosophy
It is the revelation of God

12 Reason: It is from God, not man

Neg: Not from man

I did not receive it from man

cf. v. 9, 1 Cor 15:1
He has already made this point in 1:1

Neither was I taught it [by man]

Like in v. 1, man is neither the source nor the means/agent of the Gospel
It is from God

Pos: from Christ

But [I received it] by revelation of Jesus Christ

-cf. 2:2, 1 Cor 15:3
Paul's revelation is directly from Christ

Paul's point

Why is Paul saying this?
To prove that his Gospel is pure because he got it from the source

He did not need the approval of Jerusalem
He had the revelation of Christ

Christ is not limited to the Jerusalem church
But He can reveal and call independently of them

Paul is referring to his Damascus road experience

He had seen the risen Christ
This is the mark of an apostle, all the qualification he needed

BTW, in God's providence, Paul was educated and had human preparation for his ministry

The point here is not that being independent of all authority is a virtue
In many cases (in the modern church), that kind of lone-wolf attitude is a worrying sign
The point here is that independence form Jerusalem is not a vice/hindrance to his Gospel

1:13-17 Paul's Early Life and Conversion

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13a-b You have heard of my lifestyle when in Judaism

13a For you have heard about my lifestyle

Paul's former lifestyle, and his life change were public knowledge
Therefore, they could serve as verifiable evidence for the truth of the Gospel he is proclaiming

13b While [I was] in Judaism

Paul WAS a Judaizer. He knew what he was talking about

13c-17Specifics about his lifestyle

13c-14 Before:

13c-d Against Christians

13c That I persecuted the church of God to an extraordinary degree

Just like the Galatians were being persecuted, Paul WAS a persecutor
Notice how Paul specifies that the Christian church is the assembly of God as opposed to non-Christian Judaism

13d And I tried to destroy it

Literally, this reads, and I was destroying it. but because Paul was working against God, he was unsuccessful. Though he tried to destroy the church, he failed.

14 For the Jewish traditions/law

And I made progress in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my generation/race

by excessively being a zealot for the tradition of my ancestors

Paul WAS a keener for Judaism and the law
Paul WAS a Judaiser
Paul cannot be accuse of being anti-Jewish or light on the law, or a law hater. His history proves against it
Paul cannot be accused of compromising the law because he wanted it easy. His history proves against it

15-17 After:

15-16b God's preceding activity

15-16a God revealed His Son in me

15 When God determined

15a God determined

"highlights God's Sovereign disposition and initiative" Silva p. 786

15b-c More specific description of God

15b The One selecting and appointing me from my mother's womb

Selecting

-cf. Acts 13:2, Rom. 1:1, 2 Cor 6:17, Gal. 2:2

From my mother's womb

Reference to Jer. 1:5, Isa. 44:2, 24, 49:1-6 (in context of the Gospel going to the gentiles)
Paul is a prophet, similar call to OT prophets
Paul is continuing the mission of the "servant" taking the good news/being a light to the gentiles

15c The One calling me through His grace

16a To reveal His Son in me

Reference to his Damascus Road vision

16b Purpose: so that I might proclaim the good news of Him among the gentiles

From the start, Paul was called to be an apostle specifically to the gentiles
Therefore, he knew the law-free Gospel to the gentiles as the true Gospel - separate from law
All this is God's idea and God's doing
-cf. Peter in Acts ch. 10

16c-17 Paul's response

16c-17a Paul did not:

16c I did not consult with flesh and blood [humans]

That would be unnecessary
What could anyone add to a call from God?

17a Nor did I go up into Jerusalem toward those who were apostles before me

That would be unnecessary
What authority would the Jerusalem apostles' approval add to a call from God Himself?

17b-c Paul did:

17b But I went up into Arabia

17c And I returned again into Damascus

Why is he making this point?
He was criticized by the Judaizers that he did not have credentials
His point is that he did not need credentials
And in this case, it is better that he does not have them from Jerusalem
Because he has them from God
Only God could make the kind of change that Paul experienced
It must be from God, Paul could not have and would not have made this change if he were doing it on his own

1:18-24 Paul's First Interaction With Jerusalem

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18-20 Paul visited Peter in Jerusalem

18-19 Paul visited Peter, but no others except James

18 I went up to see Peter and stayed with him

After three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Cephas
And I remained with him for 15 days

19 I did not see anyone else except James

I did not see another of the apostles
Except I saw James the brother of the Lord

20 Oath Formula

Concerning that which I'm writing to you

The Oath

Behold! [I am swearing] before God

that I am not lying

Why is Paul saying this?
Possibly he was defending himself because the Judaizers were accusing him on this issue
But he is also making an important point
This is not so much disconnecting Paul from the Apostles as it is disconnecting the Gospel from Jerusalem
The Gospel does not depend on the church, the church depends on the Gospel
The church did not create the Gospel, the Gospel created the church
Apostolic succession does not matter, Gospel faithfulness matters
Jesus said the Jews should not depend on descent from Abraham, which will not help if they are unfaithful to God
Neither should we depend on organizational descent from Rome or Luther or any human leader
All of these human leaders can be good and helpful, but they are not the most important

21-24 Paul left Jerusalem and remained unknown to them

21 Next I went into the region of Syria and Cilicia

Paul's hometown
Where Barnabas found him and brought him into ministry in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26)

22-24 I was unknown to the churches in Judea

22 I was not known by face by the churches of Judea that are in Christ

23-24 But they heard about my conversion and praised God

23 They heard about my conversion

They were only hearing
That the one who once was persecuting us is now Gospel preaching the faith which he once [tried to] destroy

24 And they glorified God in me

Jerusalem's response to Paul is worship of God
Jerusalem did not give Paul an official letter of commendation
But it gave him a better recommendation
If people love Jesus more because of being in contact with you, you are doing well
Notice that Paul is stressing that he is not dependent on Jerusalem (Like the false teachers were claiming for themselves)
But Paul's independence from Jerusalem is a good thing
Paul turns their negative into a positive without in any way discounting or putting down the Jerusalem apostles

2:1-10 Paul's Second Interaction With Jerusalem

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In this section, Paul is dealing with the accusation that he had changed, perverted the Jerusalem Gospel
Here he stresses their agreement on the Gospel
He did not need their approval, but they approved of him
The false teachers likely accused Paul of being separate from the apostles and changing the Gospel
He responded that he was independent of them (he did not need them) but in agreement with them

1-2 I went to Jerusalem and presented my Gospel

1-2a I went to Jerusalem with Titus who was uncircumcised

1 I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus

1a Then, after 14 years, I went up into Jerusalem again with Barnabas

1b Taking along Titus

2a I went up according to a revelation

-cf. Acts 11:27-30
The trip was not in order to get approval, but in response to the prophetic call to give famine aid - cf. v. 11

2b-d And I presented my Gospel before the leaders of Jerusalem

2b I told the leaders my Gospel

And I laid the Gospel which I preached among the Gentiles before them privately
To those who were recognized as being important

2c-d To safeguard that I was not exerting myself in vain

2c Lest I was exerting myself in vain

2d Or I exerted myself [in vain]

From a truth standpoint, Paul does not need their approval
But their disapproval would be disastrous to his perceived respectability from a practical standpoint
PR and public reputation is not important, but necessary in a certain respect
PR and public reputation is not important, but lack of it, or bad press can be harmful

3-10 The Jerusalem leaders agreed with me that Titus did not need to be circumcised

3-5 We defended Titus from being circumcised in order to protect the truth of the Gospel

3 But Titus was not compelling to be circumcised

3a Even though he was Greek

Note that Timothy, who was Jewish, is a different case

3b Neither was Titus, who was with me, compelled to be circumcised

Was Titus only urged? i.e. not strongly pushed?

No, this scenario does not fit with the mention of the attitude and action of the false-brothers, which is fairly aggressive

Was Titus forced? i.e. Titus was not physically compelled, but did it voluntarily because he gave in to social pressure

No, this scenario does not fit with the main purpose of Galatians - to keep them from submitting, no matter the pressure

They tried to force him [urging with social and religious pressure] but failed

Most likely Paul and Titus did not give in (with the approval of the Jerusalem apostles) because the truth of the Gospel was at stake

4-5 Specifically: Even though some tried to enslave us, we would not yield

4 Some false-brothers snuck in to observe our freedom and enslave us

The reason this was an issue is the actions of 'false-brothers'
Paul's evaluation of them is clear
Paul is inspired, therefore, they were not true Christians

4a Because of the false-brothers who sneaked in under false pretense

They are described as infiltrating, sneaking in, weaseling in
The devil never shows up in red long-johns holding a pitch fork
False teachers never announce that they are false teachers
Paul will make this point strongly later in Galatians

4b-c They weaseled in to spy out our freedom and enslave us

4b They snuck in to secretly observe our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus

They slipped in for the purpose of spying out (lying in wait/ambushing) our freedom which we have in Christ
They are looking for it and looking for an opportunity

4c In order to enslave us

So that they can enslave us/subject us to slavery
So that they can bring us to their side and take pride in us
And so that they can avoid persecution for Christ
-cf. 6:12

5 We did not give in to subjection so that the truth of the Gospel would remain

5a We did not give in to submission to them for a moment

Some things need compromise and dialog and unity
Some things need Here I Stand uncompromising attitude
It takes wisdom and grace to know the difference
BTW, what won the Roman empire to Christ was ordinary Christians willingly joyously going to the lions or the flames instead of compromising

There were Christian parents who took their children with them to the Coliseum because they knew it was better for them to die as Christians than to be raised as Pagans
This was the most loving thing to do
We need that kind of fortitude

5b So that the truth of the Gospel would remain toward you

Paul's action in Jerusalem had implications for the Galatians

6-10 And the Jerusalem leaders validated my ministry and Gospel

6-9 Those who were leaders validated us so that we would preach to the Gentiles

6 Those who were recognized as leaders did not contribute anything extra to me

6a From those who were recognized to be something

Paul describes them in a roundabout way
He acknowledges that they had status and authority
Yet he does not do so in a way that implied he depended on their status or authority
Neither did he discount their status or authority
As he will elaborate below

6b-d Even though their status was not the important issue

6b-c their status or standing is irrelevant

6b What sort of men they were made no difference to me

6c Reason: God shows no partiality to people

Paul describes this carefully
God does not look at the status of people, does not show favoritism

God is not deceived by propaganda or status or title or reputation
Neither is He impressed by our accomplishments

Paul is not putting down the Apostles at all
But he is careful to not give them more importance than they deserve

Do not put human leaders on a pedestal
Don't call anyone teacher, you have one teacher - Christ

Human status is not, never will be, cannot ever be the determining factor for truth

It is not true because a certain human leader or office or authority said it
Although we can recognize and celebrate true things when they say it
And we can recognize that some people have demonstrated a track record of saying true helpful things more often than others

We can never fully trust any human, including ourselves, as the final arbiter of truth
And Paul makes it very clear that the apostles (as human organizational leaders) are not the standards and arbiters of the truth of the Gospel
That role belongs to God alone

6d Reason: Those who were recognized added nothing to me

7-9 But the recognized leaders recognized and endorsed Paul's Gospel

7-8 they saw that I was just as much entrusted with the Gospel as they were

7a But on the ohter hand, seeing/noticing [and thereby knowing]

7b-8 What they noticed

7b-c I was entrusted with the Gospel to the uncircumcised

7b I was entrusted with the Gospel like they were

7c Just as Peter was entrusted with the Gospel to the circumcised

This is shorthand for Jew and Gentile

This was the typical way of describing both because this was a blatant difference and boundary marker
But it entailed so much more - it really was shorthand for all the Jewish Law system and beliefs
i.e. Jewish females were also part of the 'circumcision' even though they did not participate in that particular rite

Because this call did not come from Jerusalem to either Peter or Paul, both received it from God

God is the One working in Peter for apostleship to the circumcision
The same God is working in Paul to the Gentiles

8 Reason: God is working in both Peter and Paul

The One working in Peter into apostleship to the circumcised
He was also working in me [into apostleship] to the Gentiles

9 The Result: They recognized and endorsed us to our ministry

9a-b The pillars of the Jerusalem church recognized and endorsed us

9a Knowing the grace that was given to me

9b The leaders agreed with us

James, Peter and John - those recognized to be pillars -

They gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship

i.e. sign of agreement/fellowhip

9c-d The Purpose: That each of us would fulfill our scope of ministry

9c So that we would go to the Gentiles

9d And they [would go] to the circumcised

10 They only insisted that we remember the poor

10a-b Only they insisted that we remember the poor

10a Only [they insisted/mentioned]

10b That we would remember the poor

10c And we were zealous/took pains to do this very thing

They didn't even need to add this, because Paul was already passionate to do the very thing
Paul is independent from Jerusalem, but in agreement with Jerusalem
There is agreement on the Gospel
There is agreement of heart on the need for charity
Therefore, there is no need for agreement based on personality or credentials or organization

2:11-14 Paul's Rebuke of Peter

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11 I opposed Peter to his face because he was wrong

In this section Paul demonstrates that it is not people that matter as much as the truth
When the most famous leader Peter fails, the truth judges Peter, Peter does not judge the truth of the Gospel
No human leader is above question and correction
It is not Peter vs. Paul, but the truth in authority over both Peter and Paul

11a-b I opposed Peter

11a When Cephas [Peter] came into Antioch

11b I opposed him to his face

Paul dealt personally with Peter
Paul was direct and clear about his position and Peter seemed to receive it without denying the truth of what Paul said

11c Because he was wrong

i.e. liable to be appropriately convicted of being in the wrong

12-14 Elaboration/Explanation of what happened

12-13 Peter pulled back from the Gentiles

12a-b What Peter used to do

12a Before certain people came from James

Most likely Jewish believers
James was the leader of the Jerusalem church
Likely with a message from James

12b He ate with the Gentiles

In that culture, to eat with someone is the epitome of acceptance and fellowship
Jews did not eat with Gentiles, because it was against the scruples of Torah purity
Jewish Christians who evangelized into Gentile areas would often break down this cultural taboo
cf. Acts chs. 10-11

12c-13 What Peter did

12c-f The cause: Peter distanced himself from the Gentiles

12c When they [the people] came [from James]

12d-f Peter feared the circumcision group and pulled back from the Gentiles

12d-e Peter pulled back and separated himself [from the Gentiles]

12d He [Peter] withdrew/pulled back

12e And he separated/excluded himself

12f The Reason: fearing those from the circumcision

The 'circumcision' group is not necessarily the same as those from James (probably not)
Peter probably withdrew and separated to minimize the chance of persecution from the circumcision group
A plausible scenario is that the James group asked Peter not to eat with Gentiles, so that word does not get back to Jerusalem and give ammo to Jews who were persecuting Christians claiming they compromised on the Law
Peter then would acquiesce in an attempt to keep persecution from increasing

13 The effect: Others followed in Peter's hypicrisy

13a The remaining Jews joined with him in his hypocrisy

Peter was an acknowledged leader
And when he led, others followed his example

13b So that also Barnabas was led astray into their hypocrisy

Barnabas was a veteran missionary to Gentiles
He knew the truth of the Law-free Gospel
If Barnabas went against what he clearly knew, the social pressure must have been significant
And for Paul to stand against it was equally significant

14 But I publicly rebuked him

14a-c I spoke to Peter in front of everyone

14a-b When I saw that Peter was not doing right

14a When I saw that:

14b Peter was not doing in conformity with the truth of the Gospel

i.e. not acting rightly, not in conformity

Like a sobriety test of walking a straight line
To walk where appropriate to a standard
To live according to the standard of what is appropriate/fitting for the Gospel

Peter deviated from the Gospel to another standard

The standard of the Gospel is acceptance by the grace of Christ through faith - not because of keeping the Law
Peter's actions implied that acceptance is based on keeping the Law

14c I spoke to Cephas [Peter] in front of everyone

Private sins call for private rebuke
Public sin that deceives and stumbles others deserves public rebuke and public apology/retraction so that others are not led astray

There is a problem with sweeping public things under the carpet
It it is publicly known, it will not go away by denial
Rather, bring them into the light and deal with them openly

14d-f What I said: "How can you tell the Gentiles to do something you do not do?"

14d-e Condition: If you (a Jew) live like a Gentile and not a Jew

14d Even though you are a Jew

14e You live like a Gentile and not like a Jew

Paul reminds Peter that he is not a slave to OT Law
And Paul is right and Peter knows it

14f Then how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Peter was not living what he believed
His example gave the wrong message, and caused stumbling
Watch that our lives conform to the Gospel!
In many cases Paul was all for adapting cultural practices

In this case where cultures clashed, what to do?
In this case where culture practices confront the Gospel - reject culture and remain faithful to the Gospel!

Be careful to be sensitive to culture

Be willing to adapt to culture
To minimize unnecessary distance to the Gospel

Be careful to be sensitive to culture

Be willing to be counter-cultural
To challenge culture with the Gospel when necessary

2:15-21 Paul's Theological Rationale For His Rebuke

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15-20 Jews and Gentiles are justified in the same way

15-17b Jews and Gentiles are all sinners

15 Even though Peter and Paul are Jews and not Gentile "sinners"

Notice the contrast is NOT between Jews and Gentiles
But rather between Jews by nature and Sinners from the Gentiles

15a We are Jews by nature

-cf. v. 14 'not living like Jews!'
because they know that it is not necessary for Jews to live according to the Law in order to be justified
Why then should Gentiles live like Jews (according to the Law) in order to be justified?!

15b We are not sinners from the Gentiles

"sinners" is not tongue in cheek
Paul says it seriously

Gentiles were considered sinners by Jews not only because they did not do the Law
But primarily because they did not have the Law to follow
Paul will turn that around to say that Jews who have the Law and try to follow it become sinners because of the Law

Paul does not deny that Gentiles are sinners

This is not offensive to Gentiles
Because Paul says Jews are just as much sinners

16-17b They are still "sinners"

16 We believe in Jesus to be justified

Paul uses the word "justified" almost exclusively of God's judgment

Affirmative verdict in Rom. 2:13
Mostly "be acquitted," be pronounced and treated as righteous, and thereby righteous

Receiving the divine gift of righteousness through faith in Christ Jesus and apart from law

16a-b Since we know righteousness is by faith, not Law

16a We know that a man is not justified by works of the Law

16b But he is justified through faith in Jesus Christ

"if not" same construction in 1 Cor. 7:17 = "only"
Schriener p. 163 says = "but"

16c-f We believe in Jesus to be justified because Law is ineffective

16c-e We believe in Jesus Christ to be justified

16c We believe in Jesus Christ

16d-e Purpose: to be justified

16d so that we will be justified by faith in Christ

16e Not by works of the Law

16f Reason: All flesh (everyone) is NOT justified by works of the Law

Quoting Psa. 143
-cf. the context of the Psalm:
"in your mercy, faithfulness and righteousness...do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before You"
Asks for God's mercy because no one can demand anything from God because they are deserving

17a-b Seeking to be justified in Jesus proves we are sinners

17a If we are seeking to be justified in Christ

To seek to be justified, admits and assumes there is a need to be justified. To seek to be justified in Christ admits and assumes that one cannot justify himself, and needs Christ to justify him. to seek justification in Christ is proof, both of our need, and of our inability.

17b We also are found/proven to be sinners

"sinners" cf. 15b - same as Gentiles
Proved, be shown to be - often used in judicial contexts
-cf. "found guilty"

17c-20 Those in Christ are in a new eschatological reality

17c Rhetorical question: Is Christ therefore a servant of sin?

i.e. by justifying sinners freely, does God condone, even promote sin?
This is the same kind of argument Paul addresses in Rom. 3:5-8, 6:1ff., 6:15ff.

17d-20 Answer and reason

17d Absolutely NOT!

18-20 Reason: Christians are in the new age and cannot go back

18 Those who go back are the real transgressors

18a If I build again that which I destroyed

In context (vv.19-20) "that which I destroyed" is self-righteousness, self-life, self-sufficiency, life without Christ, life without faith
It is destroyed by our being included in Christ's death
-cf. the following verses

18b I demonstrate that I am a transgressor

"demonstrate" - cf. Rom 3:5, 5:8, 2 Cor. 6:4, 7:11
Paul turns the tables

The real "sinners" are not Gentiles
Everyone is "sinners" in that sense
The real sinners are those who reject Christ's righteousness by attempting self-righteousness by returning to the Law

19-20 Proof/Reason: There is a new eschatological reality

19a For I died to the Law through the Law

-cf. Rom. ch. 7

19c-20 So that I may live to God

19b So that I may live to God

19c-20 Explanation of what that means

19c-20a Negatively: I have died

19c I have been crucified with Christ

- cf. Rom 6:2-8, Col. 2:20, 3:3

20a I am no longer living

No need to give CPR to self-righteousness
Pull the plug! let it die! kill it! it is not doing any good!

20b-d Positively: I am living a new life through Christ

20b Christ is living in respect to/with reference to me

20c-d I live by faith

20c The life which I live in the flesh

20d I live by faith in the Son of God

The One Who loved me

The One Who gave Himself on behalf of me

21 Therefore, I will not attempt righteousness via the Law

21a I will/do not set aside/declare invalid/nullify the grace of God

21b-c Reason: Righteousness through Christ and righteousness through the Law are mutually exclusive

21b If righteousness could happen through the Law

21c The Christ died for no reason/unnecessarily

3:1-6 The Gospel Defended by the Galatians' Experience

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1-5 The Galatians are foolish to try to live by works

1a O Foolish Galatians!

The Galatians are foolish
Because their misunderstanding of the Gospel betrays their own experience
i.e. realize your own experience and change your grasp and application of the Gospel!
On the relationship between theology and experience:

Be careful!
Experience does not define theology
Trust God's revelation in Scripture more than your experience!
But if real life does not and cannot match your theology (e.g. prosperity gospel)
Then you should reexamine your theology in light of Scripture/the Gospel

1b-5 Specific reasons why they are foolish

1b-4 Four challenging questions and assertions

Rhetorical questions reminding them of their experience

1b-c Who has deceived you?

1b Who has bewitched/deceived you?

i.e. someone has deceived/bewitched you
"deceived" - figurative use of religious/magical word "bewitched"

1c Even though Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed befroe you as crucified

Their being deceived goes contrary to expectation for the following reason:
Christ was publicly displayed
Publicly displayed as crucified
Displayed before your eyes - i.e. displayed by Paul's preaching
"it is as if a spell has been uttered over the Galatians because they no longer see the significance of the cross of Christ...the significance of Christ's cross was vividly communicated when the gospel was announced...Jesus Christ was proclaimed as the crucified one. Once again the cross takes center stage in Galatians, and Paul hopes that the bewitchment will come to an end, that the Galatians will see again the significance of Christ crucified" Schreiner p. 181-2

2 Did you receive the Spirit from works or faith?

i.e. you received the Spirit not by works or Law but by hearing with faith

2a Rhetorical intro: I want to learn this alone from you

2b-c What I want to learn: How did you receive the Spirit?

New Testament Churches were charismatic as the norm

2b Did you receive the Spirit from works of the Law?

Implied answer: no

2c Or [did you receive the Spirit] from the hearing/report of faith?

Implied answer: Yes!
-cf. Rom. 10:16-17, Isa 53:1

3 Are you so foolish?

You are foolish in beginning with the Spirit and trying to finish with the flesh

3a Are you so foolish?

i.e. you are foolish if you change from Spirit back to flesh

3b-c Specific reason you are foolish

3b Even though having begun by the Spirit

3c Are you now [attempting to] finish by the flesh?

Don't change horses in midstream
If you are winning the first half of the race with a supercharged motor, don't try to finish the race by pushing the car!
i.e. going back to Law is the same level of stupidity
Both justification and sanctification are by faith

They are the work of God received by faith, not by works

"The opposition between the Spirit and flesh represents the eschatological contrast between this age and the age to come...with the flesh representing the old age and the Spirit the age to come." - Schriener p. 184

4 Have you experienced these things in vain?

i.e. if you go back to Law, everything you have experienced is in vain

4a Have you experienced so much to no avail?

"experience" - the Greek word is usually translated 'suffered,' but in this case, it is almost certainly the neutral meaning 'experienced'
"to no avail/in vain" - without result or effect

4b If indeed it was to no avail

5 Summarizing question

i.e. Do God's blessings of the Spirit and miracles come via faith or because of works of the Law?

5a-b The benefits

5a The One providing the Spirit to you

5b And working powers/miracles among you

5c-d The Reason:

-cf. v. 2

5c Neg: [Did He do these things] because of works of the Law?

Implied answer: no!

5d Pos: Or because of the hearing of faith?

Implied answer: Yes!

Both their objective relationship with God (2:15-21) and their subjective experience of salvation has come by grace through faith, not by works of the Law

6 The Reason: Comparison to the Biblical precedent that justification is by faith

(quoting Gen. 15:6)

6a Abraham believed God

6b Result: It was reckoned to him into a state of righteousness

If you want righteousness, go the way of trusting God
No other path will get there!
Follow Abraham's example
-cf. Heb. ch. 11 for many other examples

3:6-5:12 The Gospel Defended by Scripture and True Theology

3:6-14 Law Curse vs. Faith Blessing Proved by Scripture

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6-12 Abraham's blessing through faith, not Law

6-9 Trust in Christ as the means of Abraham's blessing

6-7 Those who trust Christ are following Abraham's pattern

6 Just as Abraham's example of believing God into righteousness

quoting Gen. 15:6

6a Just as Abraham believed God

6b And it was credited to him to be righteousness

7 Those who trust Christ follow the same pattern

7a You know that:

7b These ones from the faith group are sons of Abraham

The subset of people who are characterized by faith
i.e. they have the characteristic quality of Abraham (faith), and can therefore expect the same result (righteousness/blessing) that Abraham received
This includes the implied imputation of righteousness that came by faith in Abraham's case
The same is true for us who believe

8-9 All who trust Christ will experience Abraham's blessing

8 God's promise is that all who have Abraham's faith would share his blessing

8a-b God promised to justify the nations who respond by faith

8a The Scriptures saw beforehand

i.e. God foresaw/planned and make known through the Scriptures

8b That God justifies the nations/Gentiles through faith

8c-d Scripture announced that all nations would be blessed through Abraham

8c It announced the good news in advance to Abraham

8d That all the nations will be blessed in you

Quoting Gen. 12:3

9 Result: The ones from the faith group are blessed along with the faith of Abraham

This is a salvation historical argument
The true heirs of Abraham's promises and partakers in God's plan
Are not heirs by circumcision or following the Law

Even though Abraham did these things, (but not in this order cf. Rom. ch. 4)
Abraham's obedience was in response to righteousness, not the cause
The same should hold true for the Galatians

But they are heirs by believing God - having faith like Abraham

10-12 The Law does not bring righteousness, only curse

10 Whoever tries to live by works of the Law is cursed

10a-b Those who live by works of the Law are under a curse

10a Whoever is from the works of the Law group

The subset of people who are characterized by works of the Law
Contrast "from faith" above

10b They are under a curse/condemnation

10c-f Reason: Scripture curses everyone who does not do what the Law requires

10c It is Written:

10d-f Everyone is cursed who does not continually do all the Law

Quoting Deut. 27:26

10d All these are cursed/condemned

10e-f Those who do not perfectly keep the Law

10e Those who do not continue in everything written in the Book of the Law

10f Purpose: in order to (actually) do them

If you take on this burden, realize that it is a huge burden
God does not grade on a curve
It is 100% or nothing, pass or fail
The desire to keep the Law is not bad
But if the Law is your means of righteousness, failure to keep the Law completely is disastrous
Therefore, the desire to keep the Law in order to be in right standing with God is stupid and bad
Desire to keep the Law in order to be in right standing with God, even when God has graciously provided a better way, is blasphemous

11 No one is justified by the Law because righteousness is by faith

11a Clearly no one is justified in the viewpoint of God by the Law

This is clear/evident/blatantly true

11b Reason: because the righteous will live because of faith

Quoting Hab. 2:4
Notice again the contrast between works of Law and faith

12 The Law is different/separate from the way of faith

12a Neg: The Law is not by faith

Separating Law from believing God - to be elaborated later

12b Pos: But the one doing them will live by them

Quoting Lev. 18:5
Contrast with faith
Notice this is about "doing," not "believing"
Notice also, those who do them will live-
Those who don't do them (which no one perfectly will) will NOT live

13-14 With Christ: No curse, but blessing!

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by experiencing our curse

13a-b Christ redeemed us by becoming a curse/experiencing condemnation

13a Christ redeemed/delivered/liberated us from the curse/condemnation of the Law

13b Means: by becoming a curse/experiencing condemnation on our behalf

13c-d Reason: Scripture teaches that everyone hung on a tree is cursed

13c It is written:

13d Everyone hung/crucified upon a tree is curse/condemned

Quoting Deut. 21:23
Spoken of a man guilty of a capital offense and his body being hung on a tree as a warning to all
"tree" and "cross" are the same Greek word in the New Testament
Christ took on the death penalty of our capital offense and the shame of our public punishment
The curse is gone because He took it upon Himself and disposed of it in the grave

14 Purpose: So that the nations may receive the blessing of the Spirit

14a So that the blessing of Abraham may be to the nations in Christ Jesus

Salvation historical turning of the ages
The atonement opened up God's planned blessing
Which could not be justly given without atonement
But which always came as a gift, received by faith

14b And so that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith

3:15-18 The Law Was Temporary and Interim

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15 Just as a human will/covenant is not invalidated by later additions

15a I am speaking according to human [standards/customs]

15b-d Even a human will cannot be invalidated after the fact

15b Even so, when a human will has been validated

15c-d No one can change it

15c No one invalidates it

15d Or modifies it [without proper legal recourse]

16-18 God's promise of Christ, through Abraham, is not set aside by the Law

16 God made a promise to Abraham, which was really about Christ

16a The promise was said to Abraham and to his descendant

16b-e The promise was always about Christ

16b-c Neg: It does not say "to his descendants" as to many

16b It does not say "to his descendants"

Literally "seed," with the common meaning of "descendant"

16c As if spoken to many

i.e. not to all Jewish physical descendants of Abraham

16d-e Pos: But it says "to your descendant" - which is Christ

16d But as spoken to one

16e It says "to your descendant" - which is Christ

i.e. to Jesus - the true heir of Abraham
Jesus is the true seed - the totally faithful One

17-18 the Law does not set aside the Covenant of Promise, which has priority

17 I'm stressing that the Law does not take priority over the Promise

17a I am saying this

disclosure formula, often for emphasis

17b-c The Law does not take priority over the Promise

17b The Law does not invalidate the covenant Promise

The Law came into existence after 430 years

The covenant was validated by God Himself

17c Result: So that it invalidates the promise

i.e. the promise to Abraham is still in force/powerful
It is not invalidated by the Law

18 Reason: Promise, not Law is God's manner of salvation

18a-b Neg: Law and promise are mutually exclusive

18a If the inheritance comes from Law

18b Then it is no longer from promise

Implied conclusion: It is from promise, so that it cannot be from Law

18c Pos: But God granted graciously to Abraham through promise

"granted graciously" is cognate to the Greek word for grace

3:19-24 The Law Leads to Sin or to Christ, Never to Justification

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19-20 The Law was a temporary restraint of transgressions until Christ

19a Q: What then is the Law? (Why does the Law exist?)

19b-20 A: It was added through a mediator because of transgression until Christ

Temporary, inferior stopgap because of transgressions

19b-c It was added because of transgressions until Christ comes

It does not supplement or replace the promise, but it is added on
It is inferior because it was "added on" cf. v. 15
This does not invalidate or change a validated covenant

19b It was added because of transgressions

The standard interpretation is that the Law protects people from murder, stealing, adultery, etc. getting as bad as they could be/would be without the Law

19c Time frame: until the 'seed' comes to whom it is promised

The Law was temporary - it was only until the seed comes
When the Messiah Jesus comes, then the Law will no longer be valid
Jesus is the One Who was promised

19d-20 The manner by which the Law was added: God communicated it through a mediator

19d Being ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator

20 Explanation:

20a The mediator is not one

It was added through mediators and angels
It was not direct - though God is One

20b But God is One

It was a two-sided covenant, depending both on God and on us
The obvious problem with this is us and our inability
The Promise was one-sided, depending on God alone

21-24 The Law serves a small part of the overall fulfillment of the Promise

21a Q: Is the Law against/contrary to the Promise of God?

21b-24 A: The Law prepares for the fulfillment of the Promise

21b Certainly not!

21c-24 Reason: the Law fulfilled its purpose

21c-22 The Law was never intended to bring righteousness

21c-d Neg: Righteousness cannot be from the Law because the Law cannot give life

21c Condition: If a law which is able to give life was given

Which it isn't - the Law was never able to give life

21d Effect: then righteousness would have been from Law

Obvious implication: the Law could not give life
Therefore it was never meant to bring righteousness
Never, not even in Old Testament times
The Law was given AFTER the Passover, redemption/rescue from Egypt and making of the Covenant
It was never a means of salvation, but a temporary response to an already accomplished salvation

22 Pos: Everyone is under sin so that the Promise is by faith in Christ

22a The Scripture confined/enclosed everything under sin

-cf. Rom. ch. 7 - the Law shows sin to be sin
The Law proves that we are lawbreakers

We cannot save ourselves, we never could
We desperately need a Savior

22b Purpose: So that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ may be given to those who believe

So that the promise from faith in Jesus Christ may be given to those who believe
God tears down self-sufficiency with the Law, so that we will seek our sufficiency elsewhere
The Reformers spoke of the "accusing use of the Law"

This is still true today
The Law is useful for this purpose
When we are confronted with God's requirements in the Law, we realize that we cannot please God
The Law is a revelation of God, so it can be used for this purpose

Obedience to the Law can never make us a Christian
But the Law is a decent (with caution) standard of what a person who loves God and wants to please Him should do (when rightly understood)

One who loves God will not murder, steal, worship idols, etc.

23-24 The Law was a restraint, keeping us until the way of faith was revealed

23-24a The Law kept us constrained/restrained until faith in Christ

23 The Law constrained us until faith

23a Before faith came

23b-c We were restrained/constrained under the Law until faith is revealed

23b We were held under guard by the Law

This can have a positive connotation, i.e. protected
cf. I Pet. 1:5, etc.

23c that is, we were locked up for the faith about to be revealed

Locked up, confined, cf. v. 22
Confined under sin
Confined for a purpose - God's gracious discipline

24a So that the Law became a guardian/babysitter to us toward Christ

"Paidagogue" - guardian, teacher, leader to the teacher, constrainer toward teacher
The Law pushes us to Christ by cutting off all other routes to righteousness

24b Purpose: So that we may be justified by faith

3:25-29 We Are Heirs of the Promise Through Faith

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25-28 Christ has brought about the fulfillment of Salvation history

25 Salvation history has changed our relation to the Law

25a Faith has come

Faith HAS come!
The Salvation historical border has been crossed!
The fulfillment of all that Abraham was promised has come to pass in history in Christ

25b Therefore: We are no longer under a guardian

Just as a child is no longer under a guardian when come of age

26-28 Faith changes our relationship to the Lord

26 For you are all sons of God because of faith in Christ Jesus

27-28 All who come to Christ by faith have the same access to Christ

27 Whoever is baptized into Christ is clothed with Christ

27a Whoever of you was baptized into Christ

27b You have clothed yourself with Christ

Figurative - you have taken on the characteristics of Christ
That is - taken on the privileges of our federal head - corporate solidarity

28 All people have the same access to salvation in Christ

Specific application - emphasizing that "whoever" means "whoever" without distinction of ethnicity or social position or gender or anything else
Salvation in Christ is equally available to all kinds of people
Especially emphasizing Jew vs. Gentile contrast in the context of Galatians

28a-e All types of people have the same access to salvation

There is no distinction for justification
[Note that the translation of this section below is wooden literal to try to bring out the organization and grammar that Paul used]

28a-b There is neither Jew nor Greek

28a There is not a Jew

28b Neither a Greek

28c-d There is neither slave nor free

28c There is not a slave

28d Neither a free person

28e There is not male and female

28f Reason: You are all one in Christ Jesus

Note that in this context, this is not necessarily erasing all distinction in every issue
But it is emphasizing that these distinctions don't matter for justification

29 Therefore: If you are in Christ, you are heirs - the seed of Abraham

29a Condition: If you are of Christ

i.e. connected with Christ, clothed with Christ
via faith in Christ

29b Effect: Therefore, you are seed of Abraham, heirs according to promise

i.e. connected with Abraham's promises - which are all fulfilled in Christ
via faith like Abraham's - directed more specifically to Christ

4:1-7 Argument From Salvation History

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1-3 Neg: Like an underage heir, we were under authority [of the Law]

1-2 I'm making a comparison to an heir not having his inheritance until coming of age

1a I am saying:

1b-2 What I am saying:

1b In the time in which the heir is a child

1c-2 The child doesn't live like an heir, but under authority

1c-d Neg: He doesn't yet experience the privilege that is rightfully his

1c He differs in no way from a slave

1d Even though he is master of all

2 Pos: But he is under authority until his coming of age

2a He is under guardians and servants

2b Until the appointed time from his father

3 In the same way, we were likewise under authority for a time

Applying the illustration to the Christian

3a When we were children

'minors' in salvation history

3b We were experiencing slavery to the elementary principles of the world

stoicheia - elementary principles, basic elements, elementary concepts
Possibly 'demonic powers' - not probable here
Possibly 'basic elementary principles of life' - possible, but not the most likely
Most plausibly 'elements of the world' - i.e. Old Creation as contrasted with New Reality in Christ

4-7 Pos: But now Jesus has brought the change of age and our full inheritance [without Law]

4-5 Jesus has changed our status into full sonship

4 At the right time, Jesus came to fulfill the Law

4a When the fullness of time had come

At just the right time

4b God sent His Son

Born from woman

-cf. Gen. 3:15 'seed'

Born under Law

Jesus conquered the curse of the Law
By perfectly fulfilling the obedience to the Law
By doing what we could not do

5 Purpose: So that He may purchase our freedom and adoption

5a So that He may pay the release of those under Law

-cf. 3:13 "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law"

5b Purpose: so that we may receive the adoption

-cf. v. 6

6-7 Result: You are experiencing the fullness of your inheritance

6 You are sons, experiencing the full benefits of sonship

6a Because you are sons

6b God sent the Spirit of His Son into our heart crying our "Abba, Father"

The Spirit is crying out "Abba, Father"
And we take up that cry as the Spirit exercises influence in our hearts

7 Result: You have moved into the full possession of your inheritance

7a Neg: You are no longer a slave

7b-d Pos: You are a son and an heir through God

7b You are a son

7c-d And because you are a son, you are an heir through God

7c If: you are a son

7d Then: you are also an heir through God

4:8-18 Application - Galatians, Do Not Go Back!

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8-12 Don't give in to the false teachers and go back to the slavery of legalism

8-11 I'm concerned for you because you are in danger of turning back to slavery

8-10 Even though you should know better, you are going back to slavery

You have changed, how can you go back?!?

8 Pos: You have experienced slavery

8a Reason: Then, not knowing God

8b You were slaves to those who were by nature not gods

9-10 Neg: You are turning away from God back to slavery!

9 How can you turn back to nothingness after you have come to God?

9a-b But now, even though being known by God

9a Now, knowing God

9b Better said, being known by God

9c How are you turning back again to the weak and poor elementary principles to which you wish to be enslaved all over again?

You have a strong and life-giving God!
Why go back to weak and miserable elementary things?

10 That is - you are scrupulously keeping days and months and times and years

You are worried about rules
You are worried about the details of Old Testament Israel's culture and calendar
Thinking that by doing so, you will gain standing with God

11 Therefore: I'm concerned that you are turning back

11a I am afraid for you

11b That somehow I have toiled among you in vain

I don't want to see my efforts wasted

12 Therefore: Come back to my way of thinking

Follow through with your former friendship and zeal

12a-d Follow my example

12a-b You should become like me

12a You should be/become

12b like I am

As you used to do

12c-d Reason: Because I became like you

12c I also became

12d Like you were, brothers

i.e. Paul took on a Gentile lifestyle to win Gentiles
Why would they need to take on a Jewish lifestyle?
They should see that these things are irrelevant, as he does

12e-f Don't treat me unjustly

12e I am begging you

12f Let no one treat me unjustly

To reject Paul and his Gospel, even though he is the one who evangelized them, would be a tremendous betrayal
In the next section, Paul contrasts the way they used to receive and treat him with the way they are behaving toward him as a result of the false teachers

13-18 Reason: The false teachers are influencing you in the wrong direction

13-16 Your attitude toward me is not the same as it was a first

13-14 At first you zealously welcomed me

13a You know:

13b-14 What you know: You welcomed me at first

13b I first preached the Gospel to you because of a weakness of the flesh

Some conjecture that Paul had eye problems based on v. 15
It could have been the injuries from his beatings and stonings in Acts chs. 13-14

14 You did not reject me, but zealously welcomed me

14a-b You did not reject me

14a You did not reject your trial by my flesh

14b Neither did you disdain [it]

14c-e But rather you received me as from God

14c-d You received me as an angel of God

14c As [you would receive] a messenger/angel of God

14d You received me

14e [You received me] as Christ Jesus

15-16 But you have dramatically changed your attitude toward me

15 What happened to your overwhelmingly receptive attitude toward me?

I once was so very special to you
Am I now your enemy by telling you the truth?

15a Where then is your blessing?

"i.e. the frame of mind in which you blessed yourself" - BDAG

15b-e Explanation: I testify that you would have given me your eyes

15b I testify to you:

15c-e You would have given me your eyes

15c If it were possible

15d-e You would give me your own eyes

15d Tearing out your eyes

15e You would give [them] to me

16 Result: Did I become your enemy by speaking the truth to you?

16a Did I become your enemy?

16b By speaking the truth to you

17-18 Good zeal is not the same as self-serving zeal

17 Neg: they are paying attention to you only to use you and take from you

17a Pos: They are not being zealous for you in a good way

They are zealous - but not for good
Not in a good way

17b-c Neg: But they are separating you out to be their followers

17b They want to separate you [for themselves, from us]

But to separate you, excluding you for themselves

17c Purpose: so that you would be zealous for them

So that you are zealous for them
They are zealous against Paul
Don't follow the wrong kind of zealousness - human leader against another human leader
Luther said, "Don't read my books, I hope they disappear. Read the Bible instead"

18 Pos: To always be zealous for good, not only in my presence is good

18a To always be zealous for the good is good

Be zealous for the right things - Gospel things

18b And not only when I am present with you

Implied - also when I am absent, and false teachers come among you
Remain faithful to me and the true Gospel, even when I am not present

4:19-31 Illustration from the Slave Woman and Free Woman

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19-20 I want you to return to Christ's way of salvation and away from the Judaizer's teaching

19-20b I want your faith and our relationship to be fixed

19 I am in agony until you change

19a My children, I am again in labor pains

"I am worried" is a drastic understatement of what Paul actually said
"I am perplexed that you could do this!"
Why does Paul use the illustration of birth pangs?

Strong expression of the emotional pain he was feeling
But also introducing the metaphor to be elaborated in the following illustration
It all depends on the kind of birth
Paul is in labor to bring forth something that fits the nature of the Gospel he preached

Paul proves himself to be on the right side with Scripture illustration
Paul proves himself to be on the right side with Scripture quotation
Paul applies this to himself and the Galatian believers

19b Purpose: Until Christ is formed in you

20a-b I want to help so that I can change how I relate to you

20a I want to be present with you

20b Purpose: until I can also change my voice

i.e. until I can speak to you differently
Until I can change from discipline/argument to encouragement/fellowship
I want you to repent and agree with me so that I can be agreeable to you

20c Reason: Because I am confused/uncertain about you

21-31 Reject the way of the Law and follow the way of promise/faith

21 You don't really understand the Law if you want to be under it

21a-b Challenge to those who want to be under it

21a Tell me...

21b Condition: If you want to be under the Law

21c Do you not hear the Law?

i.e. "Are you even listening to the Law"?
Notice the similarity of Paul's and Jesus' method

Correcting them by using the Scriptures they revered (for good reason) and claimed to obey
When people misunderstood or misapplied the Scripture, Paul and Jesus did not throw out the Scripture
But they showed them how to correctly understand and apply the Scripture

22-31 Reason: The Law leads to slavery, the promise leads to life and blessing

22-27 The way of faith in the promise is better than the way of slavery to the Law

22-23 There are two ways, the way of promise/faith, and the way of Law/slavery

22 Scripture differentiates between Abraham's two sons

22a For it is written:

22b Abraham had two sons: one from the slave woman and one from the free

23 Specifics: One born according to flesh and one through God's promise

23a Neg: the one from the slave woman was born according to the flesh

23b Pos: and the one from the free woman through promise

Born through promise - supernatural
What Abraham could not do on his own
God does not need our 'help'

24-27 The way fo the promise is blessed, the other way is slavery

24-26 The Principle is that God's blessing is with the promise, not the Law

24a This is an analogy:

24b-26 Explanation: they are corresponding to two covenants

24b These are two covenants

24c-26 Specifically: One leads to slavery, one to freedom

24c-25 Neg: Hagar, like the Sinai covenant gives birth to slavery

24c-25a Illustration: The Sinai covenant brings slavery

24c-d One woman gives birth to slavery

24c One from Mount Sinai, bearing children into slavery

24d This is Hagar

25a Hagar corresponds to Mount Sinai in Arabia

25b-c Explanation: This is Judaism under the Law

25b This corresponds to the present Jerusalem

25c Reason: For she is a slave with her children

26 Pos: Sarah, like the promise covenant gives birth to freedom

26a The Jerusalem above is free

26b This corresponds to our mother

27 Reason: Scripture confirms that God's blessing is with the promise, not the Law

27a It is written:

Quoting Isaiah 54:1
Coming right after the 4th Servant Song

-cf. 53:8 where it looked like he would not have descendants
This would make him a complete loser by the worldly standards of that time
v. 10 - but God had other plans
v. 11 - He will justify many
v. 12 - He will have a portion among the great

God is doing more than Israel even expected, using completely unexpected means
-cf. later in Isaiah ch. 54

27b-e The roles will be reversed: the barren woman will have children

27b-c The barren woman will rejoice and celebrate

27b Rejoice, barren woman, who has never born children

27c Let loose and cry out, you who have never had labor pains

27d-e Reason: The barren woman has more children in the end

27d Because the children of the desolate woman are many

27e More than the children of the one who has a husband

This is contrary to expectation - impossible!
Bur miraculous and wonderful
The Gospel is true, even though it is too good to be true

28-31 Therefore: We should live by the promise of grace and reject the slavery of the Law

28-30 We live by God's promise, and should reject the slavery of the Law

28-29 We share in Isaac's experience of blessing and persecution

28 Brothers, you are children of promise, according to Isaac

29 And just like Isaac, we will be persecuted by the sons of slavery

29a Just as the one born according to flesh then persecuted the one [born] according to Spirit

29b So also now

Just like Ishmael persecuted Isaac
So now the outsiders and persecuting the Galatians (and Paul)
Those living by the old covenant/flesh are persecuting you who are living in the new freedom/Spirit

30 Therefore: Scripture says to reject the sons of the slave woman

30a Q: But what does the Scripture say?

BTW, this is a great question!
It is the question we should constantly ask about all sorts of issues
It is the first question we should ask about every issue
Scripture should be our primary functional authority in everything
Beware of trusting any other authority more than God's Word

30b-c A: The Children of the slave woman are not part of Abraham's blessing

30b Throw out the slave woman and her son!

i.e. don't go along with the Judaizers
Don't go along with their understanding of the Law and salvation
Don't adopt their philosophy and practice
But get rid of them
Rejoice with the barren woman in birth pangs (like Paul [cf. v. 19]), who will be vindicated

30c Reason: The son of the slave woman will certainly not inherit with the son of the free woman

This is not selfish - Isaac is not keeping Ishmael's share
But reality - Ishmael does not have a share and never will
Inheritance does not exist down that road, don't go that way

31 Therefore: We are of the new freedom, not the old Law

31a Neg: We are not children of the slave woman

Don't think and act that way
You don't have to earn God's favor by works of the Law

31b Pos: But [we are children] of the free woman

Think and act in this way
Trust in God's grace through Christ

We are on the right side
We will be vindicated
Even though it does not always look good or respectable in the legalist's eyes

The false gospel is a gospel of slavery that leads to slavery
the True Gospel is a Gospel of freedom that leads to freedom!
The slave gospel hates and fights against the Free Gospel

Get used to this fight
But never make peace with it

5:1-12 Encouragement to Freedom by Rejecting False Gospels

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1-6 Stand firm in Christ's freedom by refusing to submit to circumcision

1 Christ has freed us, therefore, don't submit to slavery again

1a Christ has freed us for freedom

1b-c Therefore: Stand firm and don't submit to slavery

1b Stand firm, retain conviction

1c And never again be subjected to the yoke of slavery

In 4:8-9, Paul has reminded them that they were in slavery to things that are not God
And he challenged them to not let themselves be enslaved again
Here Paul is reiterating this challenge
Going back to works of the Law is slavery
Giving in to teachers that insist on the Law is slavery

2-6 Reason: Submitting to circumcision is submitting to slavery to the Law

2-5 Circumcision will not bring justification, but will remove you from Christ

2-3 You either seek justification by Christ or by keeping the Law

2 I'm telling you that it's either circumcision or Christ

2a Behold, I, Paul am saying to you

Statement of gravity & emphasis
Drawing attention to what follows

2b-c Christ and circumcision are not BOTH the way of salvation

2b If You are circumcised

2c Then Christ profits/benefits you nothing

Emphasizes the mutual incompatibility
You can only choose one road to God

If you choose circumcision/works of the Law, you have not chosen Christ
There is no 'Christ plan A' and 'Christ plan B'
There is only 'Christ plan A' and a counterfeit plan which has nothing to do with Christ

3 Reason: Everyone who is circumcised is obligated to keep the entire Law

3a Again I testify to every man being circumcised

3b That he is obligated to do the entire Law

If a man wants to be circumcised (as a way to God's favor),
That road requires doing the entire Law (which no one can)
And this is the road to slavery, as already proved

4-5 Therefore: Seeking justification by the Law is betrayal of Christ

4a-b Whoever seeks to be justified by the Law has nothing to do with Christ

4a You are released from/have nothing more to do with Christ

4b Condition: Whoever [of you] is justified by the Law

4c-5 Elaboration: He has abandoned the grace of Christ

4c You have abandoned grace

You have changed your standing from grace to slavery
You have changed teams - mutually incompatible

5 Reason: Because we have received the hope of righteousness by the Spirit through faith

You CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS
Abandon trying to please God on your own merit and works!

6 Reason: It is not the status of circumcision, but rather faith which matters

6a-b Neg: Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything

Circumcision doesn't matter
Therefore, there is no reason to submit

6a Neither circumcision has the ability to accomplish anything in Christ Jesus

Circumcision is nothing
It has no validity, force or power

6b Nor does uncircumcision

uncircumcision is nothing

6c Pos: Faith, working through love [accomplishes something]

Faith, working through love matters everything
You must trust Christ - God's plan A [only plan]
Faith does work, does do good works
Faith has love, does the requirements of the Law
But faith does it effectively and for the right reasons
Because it is justified, not in order to be justified

7-12 Therefore: Don't give in to the false teachers!

The crossroad/decision - comparing the Galatians, Paul and the false teachers

7-9 The Judaizers are trying to subvert the Galatians away from the true Gospel

7 What has reversed your progress in the Gospel truth!

7a You were advancing well

7b Who hindered you so that you were not persuaded by the truth?

You were doing well, what happened?
Who kept you from obeying the truth and made you follow lies?
-cf. 3:1 "Who has bewitched you?"

8-9 Summary: The Judaizers' opposition to the Gospel is false and destructive

8 This persuasion is not from the One Who called you

This persuasion is not from God
Therefore, the false teachers and the false gospel are not from God

9 A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough

This persuasion is in danger of infecting everything
Therefore, reject the false teachers and come back to God

10-12 The Galatians should not give in

10 I trust that you will remain faithful to the Gospel, but the opponents will pay

10a-b Pos: I trust that you will remain faithful

10a I am confident in you in the Lord

I am confident you will see the truth

10b That you will hold no different view

I am confident you will embrace the truth and not leave room for lies
BTW, the best cure for lies is always the truth - the real deal

10c-d Neg: the opposition will be punished

10c The one who is throwing you into confusion will endure the penalty

The false teacher(s) will be judged
False teaching is always eventually judged

10d Whoever he is

11-12 I am being faithful to the Gospel, but hte opponents are not

11 Neg: I am not preaching circumcision, thereby denying the Gospel

11a If, brothers, I am still preaching circumcision

11b-c Then: The cross and my ministry are without offense

11b Why am I still being persecuted?

I am not preaching circumcision, therefore I am persecuted
This is typical, you should expect some level of persecution for remaining faithful to the True Gospel

11c Therefore: The scandal of the cross is nullified

If I were preaching circumcision, the cross would be emptied
It is unthinkable to compromise an inch on the cross
Therefore, I will stand firm and take whatever persecution may come
We should do the same, because the cross is the only road to the empty tomb and new life

12 Pos: They should live up to their preaching of circumcision

12a I wish that:

12b Those troubling you would cut it all off

Ironic rejection of the agitators
They already have punishment hanging over their heads, if they don't repent
They make such a big deal about elective surgery
Why not combine judgment and elective surgery by cutting it all off
Their false gospel is hurting them and the people around them even more than literally cutting it off would hurt

5:13-6:10 The Gospel Applied

5:13-15 Living in Freedom

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13a You have been called into freedom

-cf. 5:1
Freedom is contrasted with slavery in both places
In v. 1, slavery was a bad thing - yoke of slavery
Here (13c-14) it is a good thing - slavery of service to one another

13b-15 Therefore: Use your freedom for mutual good, not mutual destruction

13b-14 Pos: Serve one another because of love

13b Neg: Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh

Implication that flesh = selfishness and sin
"opportunity" = base of operation, starting point, foothold
-cf. Eph. 4:27 - "Do not give the devil a foothold (favorable opportunity)"

13c-14 Pos: but serve one another through the love that fulfills the whole law

13c Serve one another through love

14 Reason: The whole Law is fulfilled in one word - love your neighbor as yourself

Notice that Paul stressed fulfilling the Law
This addresses the issue of the entire epistle
But Law is fulfilled because of justification, not vice versa
Caution: beware of making love the new law
We can't fulfill the law of love by works any more than we can fulfill the Law of Moses by works

15 Neg: Do not destroy one another

15a-b If: You bit and devour one another

15a If you bite one another

"bite" is figurative for "harm"

15b And devour [one another]

i.e. engage in spiteful partisan strife

15c Then: Watch out that you aren't consumed by one another

If you serve one another, everyone gets served, everyone gets what they want
If you are selfish and bite one another, everyone gets bitten, no one gets what they want
Our society tells to 'look our for #1', Jesus says 'look out for one another'
Our society has a warped view of freedom, be careful you don't accept it
Focus on the purpose and limits of freedom, or your freedom will become bondage

5:16-26 Living by the Spirit (Not the Flesh)

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16-25 Live by the Spirit

16-17 Walk by the Spirit

16 Commandment to walk by the Spirit

16a I am saying:

Rhetorical marker to highlight what is said
Twofold command

16b-c

Walk by the Spirit, not the flesh

16b Walk/live by the Spirit

Walk = Lifestyle
By means of, by the empowerment of the Spirit
This is a supernatural work

Not dependent on us
And therefore not subject to our weakness
But we participate in it by faith

16c Result: And you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh

Sinful desires opposed to Christ
The Spirit is opposed to Law and to flesh

17 Reason: Walking by the Spirit automatically means you won't walk by the flesh

17a-b The Spirit and the flesh have opposite desires

17a Neg: The flesh desires against the Spirit

17b Pos: The Spirit [desires] against the flesh

In context (v. 16) this refers to God's Spirit, not the human spirit

17c-e Reason: The Spirit and the flesh are in opposition

17c For these things oppose each other

17d-e Purpose: so that you don't do what you want

17d Whatever you will/desire

17e You do not do these things

To keep you from doing it
i.e. the flesh purposes to keep you from doing right
The Spirit keeps you from doing wrong

18-24 Be led by the Spirit

18 Be led by the Spirit

18a If you are led by the Spirit

18b Then: You are not under the Law

Not under control of, under obligation to the Law
The answer to how to behave without Law is to live by/be led by the Spirit
Then you will then fulfill the Law
We will want to do what is right, not have to do it

19-24 What being led by the Spirit looks like

19-21 Neg: The Works of the flesh

19-21a These are the manifest works of the flesh

19a The works of the flesh are plainly to be seen

Works of the flesh - the things that the flesh does
Flesh - the part of our sinful nature characterized by weakness

And therefore sinfulness as opposed to God

Manifest - evident, known, obvious

19b-21a Specifically: They are:

Sexual immorality

Any sex outside of God's sanctioned purpose of marriage

Impurity

Spiritual uncleanness, vileness, impurity, immorality

Lack of moral restraint

Debauchery, complete lack of self-restraint which leads to wicked behavior

Idolatry

Worship of images/false gods

Sorcery

Sorcery/magic, often using drugs

Enmity

Hostility, hatred

Rivalry

Discord, contention, strife, quarreling

Envy

Jealousy, spiteful feeling/hatred toward the success of others

Rage

Anger, wrath, fury, outbursts of rage

Selfish Ambition

Strife, resentment, petty bitterness

Discord

Division, dissension, putting people against one another/separating people into camps

Factions

Dissension, division, religious faction with the connotation of false teaching

Jealousy

Envy, ill will toward others

Drunkenness

Intoxication

Carousing

Orgies, drunken parties usually involving sexual immorality

And things of a similar nature as these

21b-d Result: These things disqualify for the Kingdom of God

21b-c I told you in advance

21b I am saying these things to you ahead of time

21c Just as I said earlier

21d That those practicing these things will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God

22-24 Pos: The Fruit of the Spirit

22-23 The Fruit of the Spirit is not opposed to the Law

22-23a The Fruit of the Spirit is:

Product of the Spirit of God
Singular "Fruit" with a number of facets specifically elaborated

Love

Concern for others

Joy

Gladness, happiness

Peace

Harmony in personal relationships, lack of anxiety/turmoil

Longsuffering

Patience, forbearance, ability to calmly persevere under adverse situations

Kindness

Benevolence, goodness, helpfulness, generosity

Goodness

Generosity, interest in the welfare of others

Faith

Trust, reliance, faithfulness, trustworthiness, reliability, commitment, loyalty

Meekness

Gentleness, not being overly impressed by a sense of one's self-importance, humility, courtesy, considerateness, meekness

Self-Control

Restraint, mastery of desires and impulses

23b There is not a law against things like these

The Law is not against these things

24 Result: Those of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and desires

Inordinate desires - desires out of place, out of control, out of balance

25 Conform to the Spirit

25a If we live by the Spirit

25b We will live in conformity with the Spirit

Live according to the standard of the Spirit

26 Therefore: Let us not become arrogant toward one another

26a Let us not become conceited/proud without reason

wrapping up from v. 15

26b-c By provoking and being jealous of one another

26b Provoking one another

Challenging one another

26c Being envious of one another

6:1-10 Living Toward One Another

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1-9 Do good to one another

1-2 Look out for and pick up one another when you fall

1 Restore the sinner with humility

1a If a man is caught in any transgression

Generic term
Not limited to big sins or small sins

1b-d Then restore him while guarding yourselves

1b You, who are spiritual, restore this one in a spirit of meekness

Spiritual -

Mature, walking in the Spirit (fruit, character, etc.)

Mend/restore -

Like setting a bone, a process, not a one-time thing
Pastoral care with the goal of full restoration
But not done quickly or hastily

In a spirit of meekness -

Not lording it over them
Without taking smug pride in his downfall

1c-d Guarding yourself against temptation

1c Watching yourself

Keeping a close watch over yourself

1d Purpose: so that you will not also be enticed

i.e. caught in a similar trap (like spiritual pride)

2 Bear one another's burdens

2a Carry the burdens of one another

Oppressive hardship, burden, something too heavy to carry alone
Like our transgressions - see above

2b And in this way fulfill the law of Christ

Carry out the obligations of the law of Christ
Not a new Law that we cannot do (like the first Law)
But the model of a Christian lifestyle of love
Displaying the character of Christ

3-5 Live in a way in which you can rightly take pride

3-4 Don't be proud, but judge yourself rightly

3 Neg: don't think too highly of yourself

How not to evaluate yourself - by our own opinions of ourselves
(in other passages, Paul mentions that comparing yourself to others is another incorrect way)

3a-b If someone wrongly thinks highly of themselves

3a If someone believes themselves to be something

If they think much of themselves
An inaccurate judgment which we all make

3b Even though they are nothing

3c Then they are deceiving themselves

Stop deceiving yourself - don't think too highly of yourself
You are a sinner, in need of grace
Our significance comes from Christ and His identity given to us
Not that we were or ever will be worthy of His love
This is another form of self-deceit

4 Pos: Think rightly of yourself

How to evaluate yourself - by tested results

4a Let each one examine his own work

4b-c And let him only have pride in what is true of himself

4b Then he will have his source of boast only in himself

Contrast the false teachers who were boasting in the Galatians

4c And not in the other

5 Reason: Because each one will carry his own load

That is, in the eschatological judgment
i.e. taking pride in others will do you no good on that day

6-8 Share good things with the one teaching you

6 Let the one being taught the Word share all good things with the one teaching

This is one example of bearing one another's burdens

7-8 Therefore: Share generously so that you will receive generously

7a-b You can't get around God's law of generosity/harvest

A principle that is true universally
But is here applied to giving

7a Do not be deceived/deceive yourself

7b God is not treated with contempt/ridiculed

God cannot be outwitted
And God will not allow Himself to be mocked

7c-8 God's law of the harvest

7c-d You will harvest what you plant

7c Whatever a man plants

7d He will also harvest this

Agricultural metaphor with obvious significance and application
A farmer would be insane to expect a crop of tomatoes if he plants wheat seeds
How can we expect a harvest of eternal life if we plant seeds of hell
Yet far too many people are shocked/surprised when they get exactly what they deserve
People are blinded and foolish whenever they think they can cheat the odds
Because they are not trying to cheat the odds, but they are trying to outwit God, Who is NEVER mocked

8 Reason: Flesh bears corruption, Spirit bears life

8a Neg: The one planting into his own flesh harvests corruption from the flesh

Reminder - 'the flesh' is the corrupt, incapable part of humanity

8b Pos: The one planting into the Spirit harvests eternal life from the Spirit

God's Spirit is the One who gives eternal life
Implied application:

Invest in things that will teach you spiritual things - things of God
Don't invest in things that feed your flesh - pointless, sinful things
-cf. 5:22-23 invest in those things the fruit of the Spirit - you'll be glad you did
-cf. 5:19-21 do not invest in those things that produce the works of the flesh
The inheritance of these things is NOT the Kingdom of God

9 Do good without discouragement

9a-b Don't be discouraged in doing good

9a Do good

9b Do not become discouraged

Do not lose motivation, lose enthusiasm, lose heart, become discouraged

9c-d Reason: We will eventually reap the harvest

9c For we will harvest in the proper time

A good farmer knows that it takes time for a crop to grow
Don't lose patience (have faith) in God's perfect timing
The foolishness of an instant society is impatience
Good things take time
Don't get in a rush

9d If we do not become weary and give out

We don't harvest just because we persevere
The life is in the seed, not in our perseverance
But you will never win if you don't finish the race

10 Therefore: Let us do good as we can

10a As we have time/opportunity

NOT "as much as it is convenient for our schedule"
But "as long as we are still in this age," or "as much as we have opportunity"

10b-c Let us do good to all, especially to believers

10b Let us work the good toward all

10c Especially toward the house of faith

Priority should be given toward the family of God
Not excluding others, but priority to God's people

6:11-18 Conclusion

6:11-15 Personal Autograph & Rejection of False Teachers

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1-2 Author(s):

Paul an Apostle

He has authority

Not from man and not through man -

From Jesus the Messiah [Jewish fulfillment] and God the Father

And all the brothers with me

Why does Paul say this?
Paul is not alone in his position
There are those on his side (the apostles and others!)

2 Recipients:

To the Churches of the Galatians

Plural - "churches" - cf. South-Galatian theory

The problem is in the churches

The solution, likewise is in the churches doing well
And all culture is then gradually impacted

3-4 Greeting:

Grace and peace

To you

From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

God our Father

not everyone's Father
only of adopted believers

Lord Jesus Christ

The One Who gave Himself on behalf of our sins

On behalf of, for the sake of, in someone else's interest
Gracious giving - we should respond with deep gratitude

Why did Paul include this here?

In order that He may deliver us from this present evil age

Purpose:
To rescue, deliver, set free
From the present, evil age

Present - now as opposed to the future age
Evil - worthless, vicious, degenerate
It is not all completely bad, but partly, completely bad - connected with sin

According to the will of Our God and Father

God's giving of Christ was all according to plan and purpose
He is God and Father

5 Doxology

To Him be the glory forever and ever

Forever and ever

6:16-18 Postscript Blessing and Warning

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16-17 Conditional Blessing: Peace wish or warning

16 Pos: Peace and mercy to all who agree with Paul on this issue

16a If: As many as hold to this standard

"hold to" - cf. 5:25 same verb "keep in step with"
"Those who keep in step with the Spirit also keep in step with the new creation" Schriener p. 380

16b Then: Peace and mercy be to them and to the Israel of God

i.e. the true people of God (defined earlier as Abraham's spiritual descendants through Abraham's faith)

17 Neg: Final warning to all who disagree with Paul on this issue

17a Finally, let no one cause me distress

17b Reason: For I bear the marks of Jesus on my body

Not some spiritual/miraculous marks
But physical wounds as a result of suffering persecution for the cross

Because Paul did not deny the cross to avoid persecution like the opponents
Just as Paul continues Jesus' servant work (cf. 1:15),
He also continues Jesus' suffering (cf. Col. 1, Phil. 1, 2 Cor. etc.)

18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers, amen

Typical grace wish at the end of epistles